January Email Fraud Alert for Commercial Customers

Fraudulent emails were being sent as of January 2010, claiming that Fifth Third is implementing new security features and that all Fifth Third Direct customers need to log into their online banking account using the temporary link provided in the email to implement the new features.

Please note: Fifth Third does not contact customers via email, phone or mail to request or verify personal or company information, including account numbers, passwords, personal identification numbers (PINs), Social Security numbers, or Tax ID numbers for security or any other purposes.

Customers who supplied any information should call a Fifth Third Customer Service Professional at 1-800-676-5869.

Example of the fraudulent email:

If a user were to click on the link in the email above, the following screen would be displayed. This is the screen the attacker uses to attempt to obtain the user’s login ID and password, which would give the attacker access to the company’s online banking account.

Once the user enters their ID and password, the following screen would be displayed. Here, the attacker will attempt to get the user to open an infected PDF file designed to download malware onto the user’s computer. The attacker may attempt to get the user to open both a PDF file and an EXE file. In either case, this action would cause malware to be downloaded onto the user’s computer.

In order to protect yourself from malicious software (malware), maintain and run anti-virus, firewall, and browser software on your computer. Also, make sure your application software (such as iTunes, RealPlayer, etc.) is up to date, and review your Internet and email software’s security settings.

Tips to help protect you:

• Always go directly to Fifth Third's website by typing www.53.com directly into the browser address bar.
• Never click on links in unsolicited emails, especially those asking for personal or financial information.
• Be aware of sites that have misspellings, grammar mistakes or different graphics.

Customers who supplied any personal data should call a Fifth Third Customer Service Professional at 1-800-676-5869.

If you need assistance or discover any suspicious online sites, emails, or other fraudulent activity involving your account, please call a Fifth Third Customer Service Professional at 1-800-676-5869. They are available to serve you Monday through Friday 8 AM–9 PM ET and Saturday through Sunday 8AM–5 PM ET. You may also contact us securely via our website 24 hours a day, seven days a week.